Malappuram, Kerala, India

🇮🇳 Malappuram (also Malapuram) is a city and the headquarters of the Malappuram district in Kerala, India. It is the 4th largest urban agglomeration in Kerala and the 20th largest in India. The city is spread over an area of 158.20 km² (61.08 sq mi) including the surrounding suburban areas. The first municipality in the district formed in 1970, Malappuram serves as the administrative headquarters of Malappuram district. Divided into 40 electoral wards, the city has a population density of 4,800 per square kilometre (12,000 per square mile). According to the 2011 census, the Malappuram metropolitan area is the fourth largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi, Calicut, and Thrissur urban areas and the 20th largest in India with a total population of 3 million. It is the fastest growing city in the world with a 44.1% urban growth between 2015 and 2020 as per the survey conducted by Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) based on the urban area growth during January 2020. Malappuram is situated 54 km south-east of Calicut and 90 km north-west of Palakkad. It is the first Indian municipal body to provide free Wi-Fi connectivity to its entire residents. Malappuram is also the first Indian municipal body to achieve the International Organization for Standardization certificate. It is also the first complaint-free municipality in the state.

Etymology The term, Malappuram, which means "over the hill" in Malayalam, derives from geography of Malappuram, the administrative headquarters of the district. The midland area of district is characterised by several undulating hills such as Arimbra hills, Amminikkadan hills, Oorakam Hill, Cheriyam hills, Pandalur hills, and Chekkunnu hills, all of which lie away from the Western Ghats. However, the coconut-fringed sandy coastal plain is an exception for the general hilly nature.

History Malappuram was a military and administrative headquarters from ancient times, though several of the ancient history of the city is hardly seen recorded. However, there are some pre-historic relics, particularly Rock-cut caves found in some parts of the city like Oorakam, Melmuri, Ponmala, Vengara etc. manifesting the inhabitancy. Locality named like Valiyangadi, Kootilangadi, Pallipuram etc. points to the Jain - Buddhist history of Malappuram. Notably, the 1500-year-old Jain Temple above 2000 ft sea level at Oorakam Hill of Malappuram undoubtedly proves the same. During the Sangam period, Eranadan Malappuram was under the Chera Empire. Places like Pattar Kadav, Panakkad, etc. are possibly evolved out of Pattars and Panars having lived there. But no further details are available about the life and culture of the people either during the Sangam age or in the post-Sangam age.

Eranad was ruled by a Samanthan Nair clan known as Eradis, similar to the Vellodis of neighbouring Valluvanad and Nedungadis of Nedunganad. The rulers of Eranad were known by the title Eralppad/Eradi. Archaeological relics found in Malappuram also include the remnants of palaces of the eastern branch of the Zamorin reign. Malappuram was the military headquarters of the Zamorin in the Eranad region. The Zamorins held sway over Malappuram and their chieftain Para Nambi, ruled the area in early days with headquarters at Downhill (Kottappadi), Malappuram. Details of the rulers of erstwhile Malappuram, who were the ancestors of later Zamorins, figure in the Jewish copper plates of Bhaskara Ravi Varman (1000 AD) and in the Kottayam copper plates of Veera Raghava Chakravarthy (1225 AD). The later history of the city is interwoven with the history of Zamorin's rule.

During the colonial era, Malappuram was the headquarters of European and British troops and it later became the headquarters of the Malabar Special Police (M.S.P) formerly known as Malappuram Special Force formed in 1885 The British established the Haigh Barracks on top of the hill of Malappuram, at the bank of the Kadalundi river to station their forces, where once Tipu had a fort. Main Barracks has now been turned into the seat of the district administration as Civil Station, Malappuram. Malappuram was the headquarters of one of the five revenue divisions of erstwhile Malabar district, the others being at Thalassery, Kozhikode, Palakkad and Fort Cochin. Apart from the District Board at Calicut, Malappuram Taluk Board were one of the local boards constituted to manage the affairs in Malabar District along with Thalassery, Palakkad and Mananthavady (Wayanad) with jurisdiction corresponding to the divisional charges of the same names. Inscription of the Malappuram Taluk Board can still be seen on the wall of one of the remaining wells constructed in 1916, over 100 years ago at Valiyangadi in the city. Offices of the Divisional Revenue Magistrate and Assistant Superintendent of Police of Malabar district were located at Malappuram.

Kottakkunnu History The name Kottakunnu comes from the fort built here when the area was the military headquarters of the Calicut rulers Zamorins. Due to the geographical importance of this area, the fort known as Malappuram Fort was built here and the city of Malappuram came up.

These areas became part of Valluvanad after the Perumal rule of the Chera kingdom that ruled Kerala in ancient times.

At the end of a mountain, the place is a strategic area that is three parts river, one part deep gorge and the upper part is flat like a pedestal. The modern city is spread over the slope of this hill and the plains below.

Kuruva Arangottu Swarupam (Kuruva, Malappuram), located 5 km across the river at a place called Makkaraparamba, is the root of Valluvanad Dynasty.Their capital, Angadipuram (Thirumandhamkkunu) is situated 15 km across the river. At that time, the trade was carried out through water route.The river Cherupuzha originates from the Amminikad mountain, which flows through the prominent lands of Valluvanad such as Thirumadhamkkunnu, Arangottu Swarupam and joins the Kadalundi river below this hill, which highlighted the political and the commercial importances of this area in the history.

By the twelfth century, the Eradis of Nediyiruppu Swarupam near Kondotty established a kingdom in South Malabar with their headquarters at Calicut. They were the founders of the Zamorins dynasty. Each of the other kingdoms became a part of Calicut through military operations by land and sea with support of Kshatriya Nair (a martial caste in Hinduism) and Moplah Muslim soldiers. Malappuram and the surrounding area were subjugated from Valluvakonathiri under the leadership of Varakkal Paranambisan. Thacharakavil Eradis, who were the relatives of Nediyiruppu Swarupam defeated Muthan tribes who were the rulers of the Nilambur forest and the region became part of the Zamorins' kingdom. The Muthans, who lost their kingdom through fraud, risked their pride and took refuge in the mountains so as not to live as slaves. Their generation, called Malamuthans (Mala in Malayalam mountain), who are still aloof from other peoples, are scattered in the mountains that are part of the Western Ghats in today's panchayats like Urangattiri, Edavanna, Mampad and Chaliyar. The Eradis of Thacharakavil were the founder of Nilambur Kovilakam. Under head and controller of Calicut port Shah Bandar Koya, with the help of Thirumalasseri Namboothiri and Kalpakanchery Tambrans, attacked Thirunavaya and got the authority from Valluvakonathiri to hold the position of Raksha Purusha (Great protector) in Mamangam (a 28-day-long trade festival celebrated once every 12 years in Kerala on the banks of the Bharathappuzha). After this incident Valluvakonathiri started to send Chavers (victory or death army) to kill Zamorin during the Mamangam festival to regain the patronage.

Varakkal Paranabisan, who conquered Malappuram and the surrounding area from Valluvakonathiri, built a fort on top of Kottakunnu. The gates of the fort are the places known today as the commercial centre Kottapadi (Fortgate) at Downhill and Moonampadi (Third gate) on the Nilambur road. Paranambi ruled Ernad with Kottapadi as the headquarters and continued military operations against Valluvanadu and other kingdoms with Kottakkunnu fort as the military center. After the Zamorins conquered the part of the Kadalundi river where the Cherupuzha joins, it became necessary to pay taxes in Malappuram to bring the goods from the Valluvanadu to the Sea port or forced to sell to the traders of Calicut which resulted formation of small trade centre in the area called Koottilangadi. At the start of the 18th century the Paranambi of the time was defeated in a battle with Puntrakonathiri, the ruler of Kottakkal, and was captured by the enemy soldiers. The Moplah Muslim traders fought them and released Paranambi. Pleased with this, Paranambi built the famous Jama mosque near the Kadalundi river and a commercial centre developed around the mosque known as Valiyangadi. With this, in the early 1700s, Malappuram became a commercial centre beyond being a military center.

Apart from Valluvanad, the military operations of Zamorins were threatened, Palakkad's ruler, Palakkattu Achan, who asked for help from Mysore Wodeyar King's Dindigul governor Hyder Ali, Hyder Ali's army conquered Malabar and realizing the failure, the then Zamorin set fire to his ammunition and committed suicide. With this, the mamangam that the Zamorins held the patronage came to an end.

In the meantime, the administration of Mysore came into the hands of Hyder Ali and after Hyder Ali his son Tippu Sultan became the rulers of Malabar under Mysore. During Tippu's time Malappuram fort was developed and cannons, ammunition etc. were brought from Mysore and made into a strong military centre. Many roads were constructed to link Malappuram fort. Malappuram-Thamarassery road, Malappuram-Palakkad road, Malappuram-Feroke road, Malappuram-Parappanangadi road, Malappuram-Kolathur-Pattambi road were the roads built at that time. Tippu Sultan decided to build a fort centered on Feroke as the headquarters of Malabar. The roads were connected with Palakkad Fort, Feroke Fort, Ramagiri Fort near Pattambi, Palur Fort, Thamarassery Pass, Karakur (Nadugani) Pass, sispara Pass, Walayar Pass etc.

The agrarian reforms of Tippu Sultan and a Brahmin named Madanna, who was the Receiver Governor of Malabar during the reign of the Mysore Sultans, favored the tenant farmers and cost the landlords. Reforms in taxation according to the level of agricultural production, giving privilege to agricultural land to first-time farmers on barren land, and taxing landlords on their agricultural products caused many landlords to oppose Tippu. Landlords like Pazhassi king (Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja) and Manjeri Athan Kurikkal (Hassan Gurukkal) turned against Tippu along with the British East India company. The Manjeri Athan Kurikkal was the tax collector and ammunition keepers in Manjeri during the reign of Zamorins. Manjeri Kovilakam which was related to Valluvakonathiri, was Tippu's administrative representative in Manjeri. The Athan Kurikkal demolished Manjeri Kovilakam and Tippu came to know about this and captured the Athan Kurikkal in a military operation and imprisoned in Mysore.

In 1792 Tippu sultan defeted by British in the Third Anglo-Mysore War, ceded Malabar to the British alliance under the Treaty of Srirangapattana and released all the prisoners, including the Athan Kurikkal of Malabar. The Malappuram fort came under the control of the Athan Kurikkal. Malabar was annexed by the British to the Bombay Presidency and made a direct colony of Britain and only certain people were empowered to collect taxes. This led to the opposition of Pazhassi King, Athan Kurikkal and others who helped the British against Tippu. British came to know that Pazhassi king was try to start alliance with Tippu, they gave many temptations to Pazhassi and the Athan Kurikkal. But they rejected the temptations and launched many protests against the British. When Tippu was killed at Srirangapatna in 1799, the British retaliated strongly against them.

In 1806, Manjeri Athan Kurikkal was killed in the battle of Mappattukara near Pattambi and thus Malappuram Fort came under the British.

The beautiful view from the top of the Malappuram hill and the gentle breeze made the area a British military base. Some British documents refer to Malappuram hill as one of the most beautiful military bases in India. Malappuram was also known as the last military centre of the British Empire in the southern part of India at that time. Malappuram fort was demolished and a gunnery training centre was built there. In the 1800s, the anti-British rebellions in South Malabar, known as the Mappila Rebellion, led to the establishment of several military bases in and around Malappuram. A paramilitary unit called Malappuram Special Police was established in Malappuram in 1885. During the Malabar uprising against British empire in 1921, it was raised as the Malabar Special Police. During the Malabar War of 1921, several British military units such as the Leinster Regiment and the Dorset Regiment were encamped in Malappuram. The Leinster Regiment, a military unit of Southern Ireland was the last military alliance with the British soldiers at Malappuram in 1921. After that, Southern Ireland became an independent republic from Britain.

During British rule, a military court was established at Kottakunnu and many freedom fighters were tried and executed.

Variyankunnath Kunjahammad Haji, British rebel ruler during Malabar uprising, and his two assistants were tried and shot dead by the British court on the afternoon of January 20, 1922, on the northern slopes of Kottakunnu. It was there that his body and the documents of the British rebel state he established as the Malayala Rajyam were burnt. Now Malappuram Municipality has built a town hall in his memory below Kottakunnu.

After British rule in 1947, many British military bases including Kotakunnu in Malappuram came under the Department of Defence under Central Ministry of India. The main military headquarters is the present District Collectorate of Malappuram. Apart from the Malabar Special Police, a paramilitary force under the Kerala Police, other military centres were abolished. In 1956, when Malabar, which was a part of Madras State, was annexed to Kerala State, a section of Malabar Special Police was transferred to Tamil Nadu under the name of Madras Special Police.

Malappuram is a region with the highest number of football fans in India. But there were few spacious places to play football. Big games have to wait until the paddy fields are harvested. As a result of Malappuram Municipality's constant efforts to build an international football stadium, Central Government of India handed over Kottakunnu to the Malappuram Municipality in 1996. But as studies have shown that Kottakunnu is an ecologically fragile area, so the construction of stadium will cause ecological problems. Then the stadium was constructed at Payyanad near Manjeri and instead of the stadium a beautiful garden was built in Kottakunnu. Today many entertainment centres like art gallery, amusement park, children's park etc… have been built there.

On May 17, 1998, the Kudumbashree mission, a women's empowerment scheme of the Government of Kerala, was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Kottakunnu.

On August 9, 2019, three people, including a child, died in a landslide in Kottakunnu due to heavy rain.

Geography Malappuram is situated in the mid land area of the state. As the name suggests, it is covered with small mountains of lush greenery, bonded with several freshwater streams flowing through the city. Kadalundi Puzha, a major river in Kerala is flowing around the city. Malappuram is one of the few municipalities in the state with a tremendous track record of keeping the city clean. The recognition as second 'best municipality in up keeping the cleanliness and health by state government in 2011 and Second prize for Swachhata Excellence Awards in 2019 by Government of India acknowledges these sincere efforts of the municipality. Malappuram is the biggest potential nod of the district. Unlike other district headquarters, Malappuram holds a significant position in west–east transit along with north–south. It makes the city accessible for everyone in the district through either National Highway or State Highway.

Demographics According to the 2011 Indian Census, city had a total population of 101,386, of which 48,957 were males and 52,429 were females. The population within the age range of 0 to 6 years was 14,629. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes population was 5,323 and 77 respectively. Malappuram had 19785 households in 2011. Muslims form 74.83% of the town's population while Hindus and Christian form the remaining 25%.

Proposed Malappuram Municipal Corporation Malappuram is the only city in Kerala with a million-plus urban agglomeration that is yet to be upgraded to a Municipal Corporation. However, there is a demand to upgrade the Malappuram Municipality into a Municipal Corporation by incorporating the local bodies in the Greater Malappuram region. The proposed Malappuram Municipal Corporation comprises: • Malappuram Municipality • Manjeri Municipality • Anakkayam, a suburban panchayat • Pookkottur, a suburban panchayat • Trikkalangode, a suburban panchayat • Morayur, a suburban panchayat • Kodur, a suburban panchayat • Koottilangadi, a suburban panchayat

There are also suggestions to include following Local Bodies in Malappuram Municipal Corporation: • Kottakkal Municipality • Ponmala • Othukkungal • Oorakam • Kannamangalam • Parappur • Vengara • Makaraparamba.

Education The city has several educational institutions from the school level to higher education. Kendriya Vidyalaya, Malappuram, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Malappuram, Malabar Special Police HSS, Government Girls Higher secondary school, Govt. Boys, St.Gemmas HSS, Islahiya HSS, A.U.P School, Sree Arunodaya Vidya Nigethan etc. to name a few schools. Government College, Malappuram, which is the oldest college in the district started in 1972, College of Applied Science Malappuram started in 1987 and Govt. College for Women, Malappuram started in the year 2015 along with many other private colleges serves the higher educational purpose. Govt.TTI, Malappuram, MCT TTI and Fazfari TTI are few teachers training institutes. MCT College of Legal Studies, one of the two law colleges in the district is located in the city. The Regional Directorate of Higher Secondary Education and Regional Office (Malabar) of State Open School are located in the city inside the Civil Station.

The district plays a significant role in the higher education sector of the state. It is home to two of the main universities in the state- the University of Calicut centered at Tenhipalam which was established in 1968 as the second university in Kerala, and the Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University centered at Tirur which was established in the year 2012. AMU Malappuram Campus, one of the three off-campus centres of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) is situated in Cherukara, which was established by the AMU in 2010. An off-campus of the English and Foreign Languages University functions at Panakkad. The district is also home to a subcentre of Kerala Agricultural University at Thavanur, and a subcentre of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit at Tirunavaya. The headquarters of Darul Huda Islamic University is at Chemmad, Tirurangadi. INKEL Greens at Malappuram provides an educational zone with the industrial zone. Eranad Knowledge City at Manjeri is a first of its kind project in the state. The MES College of Engineering, Kuttippuram, is the first established engineering college under the self financing sector in Kerala, an urban campus that extends more than a mile (1.6 km) alongside the Bharathappuzha river. The KCAET at Thavanur established in 1963, is the only agricultural engineering institute in the state. The Govt Ayurveda Research Institute for Mental Disease at Pottippara near Kottakkal is the only government Ayurvedic mental hospital in Kerala. It is also the first of its type under the public sector in the country. The Government of Kerala has proposed to establish one more university, the Ayurveda University, at Kottakkal.

The district has the most schools as well as most number of students in Kerala as per the school statistics of 2019–20. There are 898 Lower primary schools, 363 Upper primary schools, Besides these, there are 120 CBSE schools and 3 ICSE schools.

Media Malayala Manorama, Mathrubhumi, Madhyamam, Chandrika, Deshabhimani, Suprabhaatham dailies have their printing centres in and around the city. The Hindu has an edition and printing press at Malappuram. A few periodicals-monthlies, fortnightlies and weeklies-mostly devoted to religion and culture are also published. Almost all Malayalam channels and newspapers have their bureau at Up Hill. There are some local cable TV channels including (MCV), (ACV) etc. Malappuram Press Club is also situated at UP Hill adjacent to Municipal Town Hall. Doordarshan has its major relay station in the district at Malappuram. Government of India's Prasarbharati National Public Service Broadcaster has FM station in the district, broadcasting on 102.7 Mhtz. Even without any private FM stations, Malappuram finds a place in Top Ten Towns with Highest Radio Listenership in India. There is a multiplex and four standalone cinema halls that screen movies in Malayalam, Tamil, English and Hindi. Rasmi Film Society, one of Kerala's oldest film forums is from Malappuram. The 72nd International film festival of Malappuram was conducted in March 2011. The government of India's Prasar Bharati National Public Service Broadcaster has an FM station in the district (AIR Manjeri FM), broadcasting on 102.7 Mhtz. Even without any private FM stations, Malappuram, Ponnani, and Tirur, find their own places in the ten towns with the highest radio listenership in India.

Sport Malabar Special Police HSS is one of the best achievers in the Indian inter-school football tournaments. It is also the runner up team of 53rd and 55th Subroto Cup international football tournament held at Delhi. The Kottappadi Football Stadium is located right at the heart of the CBD of Malappuram. The Malappuram District Sports Complex Stadium is situated at Payyanad in Manjeri. It was selected as one of two stadiums, along with the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, to host the group stages of the 2013–14 Indian Federation Cup. The stadium hosted groups B and D.